Chapter 113: Nine Rhymes of Pear Garden

Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Nine Rhymes of Pear Garden

A sharp clang rang out.

On the high platform of the arena, the old president and his entourage all looked astonished.

Cyan Robe was Li Xingduan’s Core Card. Activating it put him in the Dramatic Entrance state, drastically boosting all his abilities—a clear sign he was finally getting serious.

And Moon in the Well was his ultimate killing move, executed by stacking several Main Battle Cards on top of that state!

A blinding white light flashed through the arena before vanishing.

It was like an exiled celestial flicking his sleeve, parting the clouds to see the moon.

SCREEE—

Wang Xi braced with his Thorn Broadsword held horizontally in both hands as an immense force sent him flying back seven or eight meters. His feet screeched across the smooth metal floor, carving out a harsh, grating sound.

He had actually blocked it head-on!

Phantoms of Blood Orchid Petals swayed around him as a bloody mist rose from the blade of his sword, giving off an ominous aura.

WHOOSH WHOOSH—

Floating in mid-air, Li Xingduan swung his Cloud Sleeves, unleashing two more Moon in the Well attacks. They took the form of Flowing Cloud Flying Sleeve, crossing more than ten meters to continue the assault.

CLANG! CLANG!!

Two cold glints of light streaked by like bolts of white silk. With a resounding clang that sent sparks flying, Wang Xi changed his stance twice in a fraction of a second, perfectly parrying the Sleeve-Soft Sword.

The three phantom Blood Orchid Petals around him trembled violently; it was clear that blocking three consecutive Moon in the Well attacks had taken its toll.

This time, Wang Xi was lifted completely off his feet and sent flying backward, smashing into the arena’s iron wall like a cannonball—

BOOM!!

Everyone on the high platform felt the tremor under their feet, their expressions shifting slightly.

The old president nodded inwardly, a flash of admiration in his eyes. Beside him, the burly Jiang Tianhao’s brow was furrowed, as if he had just realized he’d still underestimated Wang Xi.

The other Elite Professional Warriors were left speechless.

If any of them had been fighting Vice President Li one-on-one, they wouldn’t have just failed to block a fierce killing move like Moon in the Well; they would have found it nearly impossible to even last ten seconds against his Dramatic Entrance state.

As expected of Wang Xi, another genius from Valley City.

He had only just become a Professional Warrior, but he was already showing his mettle.

THUD.

Li Xingduan landed gracefully, clasping his hands behind his back. But his expression had turned grave.

He felt a strange sense of foreboding.

This dangerous sixth sense was emanating from the young man by the iron wall—Wang Xi remained in his defensive stance, his posture still perfectly straight.

His black Cloak swayed gently, though there was no wind, and unseen Wind Elements surged violently across its surface.

A trickle of blood escaped the corner of Wang Xi’s mouth.

’Three perfect Parries from the Blood Orchid Secret Skill, plus the impact reduction from the Cloak, and I still couldn’t completely negate Li Xingduan’s slash... Some kind of intangible, sharp power pierced my defenses and entered my body.’

It was a power both profound and mysterious.

Almost like...

Sword Intent?

’Good thing my Physique is so strong. It’s just a minor internal injury, nothing serious.’

By now, the power absorbed and accumulated by his Blood Orchid Secret Skill had reached its threshold. The blood-mist swirling around his Thorn Broadsword was so thick it was almost tangible, on the verge of condensing into liquid drops.

Wang Xi didn’t hesitate.

"Expose."

His eyes were void of emotion as he swung his sword—

SHIIING!!

An arcing wave of blood-red sword wind shot from his blade, spanning twenty meters.

Li Xingduan’s pupils contracted.

He was about to use Dreams in the Garden to make an emergency escape, but he suddenly felt as if he were locked in place, with no room to dodge.

He made a split-second decision and changed his strategy.

"Hiii—ya!"

He let out an operatic cry as his sleeves danced in unison.

His Cloud Sleeves folded over one another, forming the shape of a taiji symbol.

—[Rainbow Robe (Skill Card/Blue Four Stars/Ultimate)]—

A brush of the robe scatters immense force; a drop of the sleeve diverts a thousand blades.

This was the very first Branded Card Li Xingduan had ever cultivated. It had saved his life on several occasions.

Rainbow Robe was one of his trump cards!

SWOOSH—

The blood-red sword wind swept over the figure in the Cyan Robe.

RIIIP.

Li Xingduan’s swirling sleeves were instantly shredded. A cloud of pulverized material exploded in front of him as a shockwave radiated outward.

The terrifying power of the sword wind shocked him to his core.

THUD!!

He took a heavy step back, his foot leaving a one-inch-deep impression in the metal floor.

With a whoosh of air, Li Xingduan pushed his bare arms back from his waist, and the body that had been about to topple over suddenly stabilized, allowing him to regain his footing.

"Huuuh..."

He let out a long breath.

Only his hands, clasped behind his back, were red and trembling.

Rainbow Robe had ultimately blocked Wang Xi’s blood-red sword wind, but his fingers had sustained minor injuries, and they still throbbed with a faint, stinging pain.

’This kid...’

’He’s really something else.’

Li Xingduan was filled with admiration.

Gasps of shock echoed from the high platform.

Everyone’s gaze fell upon the iron wall more than ten meters behind Li Xingduan. A gash over two meters long now scarred the once-smooth, polished metal.

It was from the wave of sword wind Wang Xi had just unleashed.

"Incredible..."

Jiang Tianhao took a deep breath and sighed in admiration.

"His Swordsmanship is completely unique. He not only neutralized Li Xingduan’s killing blow but also absorbed part of its power to turn defense into offense... I can’t imagine taking that wave of sword wind head-on felt very good for Li Xingduan."

"We all underestimated Wang Xi’s strength."

"So... is this a draw?"

Meng Li asked hesitantly, a look of disbelief on her face.

Another woman with long hair considered it for a moment before answering:

"In a simple armed spar, you could call it a draw. But in a life-or-death battle, even if Wang Xi brought out his Water Magic Card Set, his chances of victory would still be slim..."

Everyone understood that Li Xingduan still had cards up his sleeve. The fact that Wang Xi had managed to push him this far was already remarkable.

He hadn’t been a Professional Warrior for long and lacked sufficient Experience; otherwise, obtaining a Professional Five Stars certificate would have been a certainty.

「A moment later.」

Wang Xi and Li Xingduan, having removed their gear, returned to the conference hall to chat.

As the saying goes, a good fight makes for good friends.

The two of them quickly grew more familiar with one another.

An association staff member brought over a Medical Nebulizer. After a quick treatment, the minor internal injuries Wang Xi had sustained were almost completely healed.

Over a few cups of tea, their conversation was punctuated by constant laughter.

The spar with Li Xingduan gave Wang Xi a rough idea of the strength of an Upper Rank warrior, as well as a clearer picture of his own current abilities.

He secretly issued a command to Kaos: using himself as a baseline and referencing the Main World’s Professional Warrior system, redefine the Star Level evaluation criteria.

The long, narrow rift in his mind shimmered faintly.

Looking inward, he saw a silver-framed entry—

"Wang Xi (Four Stars/Hero)"

When he looked again at the old president in the main seat, his entry had also quietly changed:

"Wei Xuan (Friendly/Upper Four Stars/Hero)"

The unidentifiable skull icon was gone.

"It’s been a long time since I had such a satisfying fight."

Li Xingduan said with a smile.

"Wang Xi, we should spar more often when we have the time. A strong opponent is like a mirror, reflecting your own self. By testing ourselves against each other, we can find our weaknesses and reach the next level."

"You’re right, Brother Li," Wang Xi nodded. "I learned a great deal from our exchange just now."

"If your written exams hadn’t dragged you down, you would’ve easily been number one in this assessment."

Li Xingduan remarked with a sigh.

He thought for a moment before saying in a serious tone:

"We only just met, but I feel like we’ve hit it off... There are some things I probably shouldn’t say, but I really can’t stand to see you waste your talent and squander your time."

"Swordsmanship and Physique are your greatest strengths; you should focus on developing them. A person’s energy is finite. If you divide your attention by cultivating Water Magic on the side, it will only slow you down."

Li Xingduan raised his hand, and the tri-colored flower Seal on the back of it began to glow faintly.

"Remember this: only by cultivating a Seal can you fully unleash the potential of a Universal Card. This is precious Experience bought with the blood of countless Heroes."

His gaze grew distant as he spoke.

"From the Nine Provinces of the Mountains and Seas to the World Alliance, every single top Hero—without exception—is someone who has walked a single path to its absolute extreme."

"..."

Wang Xi nodded silently.

He appeared to agree with this point of view.

’Walk one path to its extreme...’

’Does synthesis count?’

’As for the Seal...’

’That’s also the result of my own hard work. Kaos just hides in the background, providing a tiny, insignificant bit of help, that’s all.’

Compared to Li Xingduan, Wang Xi realized his own Seals were quite special. They were all hidden within his mind, completely undetectable to others.

But Kaos let him know that he could manifest the Seals on his skin whenever he wanted. This was convenient for hiding his true strength and preventing unnecessary suspicion that might arise from his rapid progress.

"Wang Xi, this is for you."

Li Xingduan took out a White Card and handed it over.

"A little something to mark our new friendship. Please, take it."

"This is?"

Wang Xi took it and looked, surprised by what he saw.

"Nine Rhymes of Pear Garden (Technique Card)"

"Quality: White One Star (Upgradeable)"

"A Cultivation Technique created by a legendary opera master. It tempers one’s muscles, bones, and skin. It uses the nine rhymes of song and speech to resonate with the body’s Nine Palaces. Through the operatic arts of singing, recitation, acting, and acrobatics, it unleashes one’s latent potential, ultimately granting an extraordinary Physique and immense strength."

"Upon use, you will master this Cultivation Technique. Continued practice will strengthen your foundation and bolster your health. It is especially effective for improving vocal projection and flexibility. However, it consumes a great deal of energy and must be practiced progressively. Its true power will only be revealed through time and dedication."

’Giving me a Technique Card just after meeting?’

’Even the lowest-grade White Card is incredibly valuable!’

’Just from the description, I can tell it’s no worse than the Defense Team Basic Body Refining Technique—it might even have more potential.’

’Li Xingduan is way too generous.’

’A gift worth millions right off the bat.’

Wang Xi scanned the Card with his Monitoring Wristwatch. After two beeps, he feigned a look of surprise and looked up.

"Brother Li, this gift is far too valuable."

"Don’t worry about it," Li Xingduan said with a dismissive wave and a smile. "I feel like I’ve known you for ages. This gift is nothing... Besides, it will be a great help for tempering your Physique and strengthening your foundation."

"If you really want to thank me," he said, his gaze sharpening and his tone growing serious, "then do your part for Valley City."

"I will," Wang Xi replied solemnly.

This time, he wasn’t just being polite.

’Hold a position but do nothing?’

Wang Xi disdained the very idea.

He had his principles, and he had his ambitions. Since he was a Professional Warrior enjoying the benefits of the title, he would also bear its responsibilities—

Only a coward would shirk their duties.

The Nine Rhymes of Pear Garden from Li Xingduan was a classic example of a Profound Mysterious System Card. It would allow Wang Xi to directly compare it to the style of the Fairy Tale System and gain a clearer understanding of the Profound Mysterious System’s unique characteristics.

With only 29 days left until the complete capture of the Profound Mysterious World, getting a head start on understanding it was no bad thing.

It was approaching three in the afternoon.

Wang Xi took the railcar back home.

The first thing he did was take out the Technique Card and begin his first practice session.

In the living room, Wang Xi stood bare-chested, wearing only a pair of loose sweatpants. A white light flashed, and suddenly, the esoteric secrets of the technique flooded his mind.

A voice to shake the nine heavens, a form to roam the eight corners of the earth.

Intent pierces every bone, forging the true self.